All Hail the Glow Cloud
by starlight.moon.princess
Summary: There's a lot that ends up left out of Cecil's show / A drabble collection :: 1 - Carlos is proven right in his suspicion that there's something wrong with the house :: 2 - Cecil falls in love /instantly/. Cecilos
1. Existence is Tricky

**The Pilot I: Existence is Tricky**

The first hint that the house in Desert Creek, out back of the Night Vale Elementary School didn't exist came from the helicopters.

Carlos hadn't been warned about them before he started his experiments, so obviously, he didn't know what he was supposed to do (Cecil would later tell him that that wasn't an excuse, but at that time, he was still operating according to the old rules). So, of course, he continued with his experiments.

He didn't know why the house fascinated him. It just did, sort of like one of those feelings that crept up from the south (because everyone knew that nothing ever came from the north), and he was compelled to investigate. The others agreed him – they said that their feelings came from the north, which was complete hogwash, of course, considering that nothing came from the north – but they agreed with him, and therefore, an investigation of the house was necessary.

There wasn't anything different about that house at first glance. It was between two other identical houses, so it made complete sense for it to be there – it was just that Carlos doubted that it was actually there.

And then the helicopters came.

The rest of his team ran for cover as soon as they realised that the helicopters weren't just helicopters, but were helicopters painted with complex murals depicting birds of prey diving (further lending support to Cecil's theory that not knowing he should run and hide wasn't an excuse), but he just stood there. He just stood there and noticed, like he liked to do.

He noticed that the helicopters stopped over the perfectly normal houses on either side of the perhaps-not-normal house for several seconds, but passed over their perfectly identical triplet nestled between them.

More experiments were required, of course – one set of results did not mean that it was true. As soon as the helicopters passed and the orange carnations laid out mysteriously on the doorsteps (even though he was noticing, he didn't see how that process took place) and the rest of his team finally emerged from the houses they had taken shelter in, he gathered them towards him and started to draw up plans.

The fact that the house had been ignored by the helicopters was a start. He was nearly certain that that house did not exist, and now they would all have to get together to prove it.

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**an: I just discovered the perfection of this fandom today, and being a ff writer, well...  
****This collection is mainly going to be episode reaction pieces, so there might be stuff that contrdicts later established canon...**  
I hope you guys liked it! This is my first time writing for Welcome to Night Vale, so I'd love to hear you guys' thoughts on it, and how you thought I did with characterisation. 


	2. Instantly

**The Pilot II - Instantly**

The muffins needed salt.

Cecil had never been one to keep his opinions to himself, and he told Old Woman Josie exactly what he thought about her muffins. Besides, he knew she wouldn't burst out into hysterics over it – she was stronger than most of the residents of Night Vale combined, at least when it came to emotions.

And he was right.

"The angels took my salt, Cecil Palmer. They said it was for a godly mission, and I did not ask them any more questions. I have unfortunately not gotten around to buying anymore, seeing as I would have to travel to Desert Bluffs to do so – all the salt disappeared from Ralph's today morning. Therefore, the muffins are in need of salt."

Cecil simply nodded along. He was not going to think too much on the matter of the angels, of course, but it did explain why there was a significant lack of salt.

The sound of a throat clearing pulled everyone's attention away from their conversations.

The man standing at the front – or perhaps it was the back, one could never be completely sure with the town hall – of the crowd was the new scientist. Cecil had no idea why he called for a town meeting, or how indeed he had gotten the City Council to agree to let him call a meeting, but for once in his life, he found he wasn't much interested in unearthing the details.

The man was far more interesting.

He had dark and delicate skin, black hair, and a strong, square jaw. When he opened his mouth to speak, Cecil couldn't help noticing that he also had teeth like a military cemetery.

"Citizens of Night Vale, my name is Carlos."

Carlos. It was a fittingly beautiful name for a man as perfect as he was, a man who had a voice like caramel with oaky tones.

"…Night Vale, it has been unilaterally agreed upon by those who are schooled in the study of anomalous phenomena, is the most scientifically interesting community in the U.S. For example, the incident with the sentient lightning strike was a unique incident as yet unreplicated in all of the world – there is great consternation among academia that a chance to study it was missed. Therefore, my team of scientists and I have decided to live in town and study the many singularities that seem to be centred around the town."

And then he grinned. It was a perfect grin – but then, everything about Carlos was perfect.

Nonetheless, even knowing that the perfect grin was not surprising, because it was Carlos, Cecil couldn't help himself. For once, instead of falling sideways into hate or headlong into a person, he couldn't help but fall in love instantly at the sight of stupid, perfect Carlos and his stupid, perfect grin.

It was only for a moment, of course, the sensation of having just fallen in love, but for some reason the universe decided to stop during that moment and the moment was no longer a moment. It was an infinity.

And then as the infinity retreated and became a finity, and the heady sensation and taste of chocolate that came along with falling in love with Carlos started to come back to him, he noticed the government agents from the vague but menacing agency in the back, watching.

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**AN: I hope you guys liked it! As always, please don't forget to drop a review on your way out - I'd love to know what you guys thought of it :)  
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